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Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 120 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

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Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  2. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  3. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  4. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  5. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  6. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  7. I'll be taking the ________________.
  8. I can't ________________ this cold.
  9. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  10. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  11. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  12. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  13. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  14. My mare is ________________ in color.
  15. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  16. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  17. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  18. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  19. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  20. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  21. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  22. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  23. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  24. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. tube — in a tire
  2. perch — for a bird
  3. trunk — of a tree
  4. perch — the fish
  5. trunk — of a car
  6. trunk — of an elephant
  7. tube — the underground
  8. stand — to bear
  9. mark — to pay attention
  10. stand — for spectators
  11. staff — employees
  12. stand — on your feet
  13. bay — to keep at bay
  14. bay — a horse colour
  15. perch — for a bird
  16. tube — a container
  17. mark — a grade
  18. bark — a dog's sound
  19. bark — of a tree
  20. bark — to shout
  21. mark — a trace
  22. bay — a part of the sea
  23. staff — a stick
  24. staff — employees

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

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Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com